New York City (NY) Sunshine Hours by Month

To truly understand a climate, we must look at its sunshine. This page shows the total number of hours of direct sunlight per month and the average hours per day in New York City, New York State, United States of America. The numbers reflect climate data gathered over a 30-year period, from 1990 to 2020.

Monthly hours of sunshine

Seasonal sunshine in New York City varies. It peaks at 271 hours in July and drops to 141 hours in December. The total annual amount of sun is 2544 hours.

Daily hours of sunshine

For those who appreciate different seasons, New York City serves as an ideal destination. Expect longer, more sun-filled days in July with an average of 9.0 hours of sunshine daily, and embrace the darker days in December, offering only 4.7 hours of daily sunlight.

Average percent of sunshine

On average the sun shines 63% of the time during the day in August, the highest percentage of any month. December has the lowest percentage at 48%.

New York City enjoys an average of 2544 hours of sunshine annually. Let’s compare this with some popular tourist destinations:

In Lisbon, Portugal, there are approximately 2801 hours of sunshine annually, highlighting its warm and sunny Mediterranean climate.

In contrast, Juneau, Alaska, receives only about 1523 hours of sunshine per year and is known for its very short days in winter and frequently overcast conditions.

In Seoul, South Korea, there are approximately 2133 hours of sunshine per year, mostly during spring and autumn.

Adelaide, Australia, enjoys 2770 hours of sunshine annually, with long, sunny summers.

June, New York City’s wettest month, receives 114 mm (4.5 in) of rainfall and has a maximum daytime temperature of 27°C (81°F). During the driest month November you can expect a temperature of 13°C (55°F).

For more detailed insights into the city’s temperatures, check out our Temperature page. To explore more about precipitation patterns, visit our New York City Precipitation page.